DP World Tour: England’s Marcus Armitage sets new course record on day one of Mallorca Open | Golf News

Armitage birdied eight holes as he put in a new course record at the Mallorca Open; he sits one shot ahead of Daan Huizing; watch live DP World Tour Golf at the Mallorca Open live on Sky Sports Golf on Friday at 12.30pm

Marcus Armitage was on fine form at day one of the Mallorca Open, setting a new course record.

England’s Marcus Armitage set a new course record of 63 to lead by one shot on the opening day of the Mallorca Open.

The Salford-born 35-year-old fired eight birdies in a bogey-free first round at Son Muntaner Golf Club in Palma.

Armitage birdied the second, fifth, eighth and ninth holes to sit four-under after the outward nine and sank four more – at the 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th – on his way back in.

He sits one shot ahead of the Netherlands’ Daan Huizing, who eagled the par-five 17th and birdied the last, and two ahead of Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard, Austria’s Lukas Nemecz and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, who all shot 65s.

Armitage was visibly pleased with his start and is looking to make sure he finishes the weekend the same way he has started it.

“It is wicked when you do that, no matter where you are in the world,” said Armitage.

“It is nice to play like that and get off to a start like that.

“It is a good little track, it has got some rough in some places that you have to avoid and the greens are receptive.

“It is a lot easier than we are used to but you have still got to go out there and do it.

Currently 68th DP World Tour rankings, Armitage admits that making the cut for the DP World Tour Championships is on his mind as he looks to finish an “average” season “fantastically”.

“Yes, 100 per cent,” he added.

“I have had some great starts to tournaments this year and just not finished them off.

“It has not been a great season but it hasn’t been a bad one and you have got your mind on it because if you get into DP World, you have got the chance to finish off an average season fantastically.”

Scottish pair Marc Warren and Connor Syme are tied in ninth, alongside last year’s winner Jeff Winther and seven others, four shots off the lead after four-under-par rounds of 67.

England’s Steven Brown is tied in 16th place after posting a three-under first-round score of 68.

Watch live DP World Tour Golf at the Mallorca Open live on Sky Sports on Friday from 12.30pm

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